The 2020 NFL Draft is a little over one month away and the Tennessee Titans currently own six picks in total.
In this mock draft, we’re going to focus on the team’s first three picks, which are as follows:
- Round 1, pick No. 29
- Round 2, pick No. 61
- Round 3, pick No. 93
The Titans’ biggest needs as of this moment in no particular order are EDGE, cornerback, offensive tackle and running back, all of which could be addressed in the first three rounds.
Of course, this list could change a bit depending on what the team does in free agency, which officially starts on March 18 (for now), a month before the draft.
With all that in mind, let’s see what direction our staff thinks the Titans will go when the 2020 NFL Draft starts on April 23.
Round 1, pick No. 29
Crissy Froyd: Joshua Jones | OT | Houston
It’s not an overly exciting or flashy pick — as nothing to do with an offensive lineman ever really is — but it’s a clear need if the Titans lose a player who has been leveling up the way that right tackle Jack Conklin has been. The Titans could plug in Jones immediately to fill the void.
Mike Moraitis: TRADE
Titans get: second-round pick (No. 38), fifth-round pick (No. 152)
Panthers get: first-round pick (No. 29)
With all of the very best corners and offensive tackles in this draft off the board, the Titans are going to use this pick to trade back with the Panthers, who will take quarterback Jordan Love in this spot.
It’s quite possible the return could be better than what’s listed above, but we’ll go conservative here.
Tennessee now has seven total draft selections instead of six with this deal, and we’ll all be disappointed because we have to wait another day to see the Titans make an actual pick.
Note: Before we get started on my (Mike Moraitis’) version of this mock, the following picks are based on the Titans addressing their need for an EDGE by signing Jadeveon Clowney in free agency.
Once that’s done, the Titans will have a stable of Clowney, Harold Landry, D’Andre Walker, Derick Roberson and Reggie Gilbert (perhaps Kamalei Correa is in this group also, but I think he moves on in free agency).
This will allow the Titans to wait until later in the draft to take a pass-rusher, if they take one at all.
Round 2, pick No. 38 (via Panthers)
Moraitis: Ezra Cleveland | OT | Boise State
After trading back, the Titans select Ezra Cleveland as the eventual successor to Jack Conklin, who moves on in free agency.
Cleveland is raw and needs some time to develop, but his elite athleticism makes him a perfect fit for Tennessee’s zone-blocking scheme. He’ll serve as depth at first and will sit behind Dennis Kelly for a year or two.
Round 2, pick No. 61
Froyd: Julian Okwara | EDGE | Notre Dame
Teams looking for production like the Titans should look no further than Okwara. There are concerns about him being undersized, but he makes up for it in length and athleticism. PFF gave him a pass-rushing grade of 86.5 in 2018 and 90.4 in 2019.
Moraitis: Jaylon Johnson | CB | Utah
Johnson is a nice combination of size and speed for today’s NFL, and the Titans can groom him to take over for Malcolm Butler, who could get cut after 2020. In the meantime, he serves as much-needed depth after Logan Ryan leaves in free agency.
Round 3, pick No. 93
Froyd: Cameron Dantzler | CB | Mississippi State
Dantzler is one of the most impressive players I covered in a college football secondary last season. Whether or not he’ll be available by pick No. 93 or if the Titans would be willing to do some moving and shaking to get him remains to be seen. The long corner won’t allow opposing offenses very many explosive plays, and he recorded the first interception of his college career off of Heisman Trophy winner Lamar Jackson.
Moraitis: Clyde Edwards-Helaire | RB | LSU
Because of his size (5-foot-8, 209 pounds) Edward-Helaire doesn’t project to be a three-down back, which could lead to him falling further than many people think. He needs some work in pass protection, also.
However, Edward-Helaire is a quality receiver out of the backfield and has the versatility to be lined up in the slot. He’s an ideal complement to Derrick Henry and would fill the role that Dion Lewis was supposed to.
